Fishing signal



J. MASSINO FISHING SIGNAL Jan. 23, 1951 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.21, 1945 Inventor Jan. 23, 1951 J. MASSINO 2,538,788

FISHING SIGNAL Filed Aug. 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 59872 flex-5H2 a,[mentor 12g] 9 B) WW eys This invention. relates- :more particularly tosuchv a signal adapted to be Patented Jan. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FISHING SIGNAL Joseph Massino, Berwick, Pa.

Application August 21, 1945, Serial No. 611,805

. 1 Claim. '1

to a fishingsignal, and

utilized with a fixed line, to indicate to the fisherman a bite on theline. A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improvedvisual indicator adapted to illuminate a signal light when a fishstrikes 2 the line associated with the. device.

An additional. object of the invention is the provision of such a deviceadaptedto be associated either with a fishing pole or a hand line,

and characterized by a movable contact positioned adjacent a fixedcontact, the arrangement being such that when a fish strikes "the linethe contacts are closed and the light'illuminated.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the provision ofsuch a device provided with interchangeable means whereby the same maybe set. in the ground, orsecured to a wooden base such as the side of aboat, or a dock or pier or the like.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a movablecontact comprised of a.

-metallic rod, and a plurality of attachments adapted to be. associatedwith a tip of such contact rod whereby the device may be utilized un--de r varying conditions in accordance with the type of fishing beingdone.

A further and more specific object ofv the invention is. the provisionof such adevice where- 'ferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like partsthroughout the several lviews- Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofone form 'o' f'the device embodying thisinventive concept ',shown inassociation with afishing pole and line therefor.

Figurez is an enlarged side view, partiallyin section and partially inelevation, disclosing constructional details of the visual indicator.

.Figure 3.15 an end elevational view of the de- Figure 4 is an enlargedgroup view in elevation of a constructional detail, certain partsthereof being shown in section. and, certain other parts being brokenaway.

Figure 5 is a. fragmentary enlarged elevational view of a furtherconstructional detail.

Figure 6 isa side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 2,certain auxiliary attachments being indicated thereon, shown as usedwith. a hand line.

Figure. '7 is a view similar to Figure 6- but disclosing. the device ina difierent position of adjustment, as indicated by dotted lines,certain portions of the mechanism shown in Figure 6 being. omitted.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 6 and 7 but showing a difierentmeans for attaching or securing the device to a base, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 ofFigure 4.

Having reference now to. the drawings and more particularly to. Figure1, there is generally indicated at H) a fishing pole, including a reelII, a handle I2 and a line l3. The device is adapted to be supported ata suitable angle; as

by any convenient crutch |4,-such as a forked stick or the. like. Thedevice of the. instant invention generally indicated at I5, comprises ahousing l6 as best shown in Figure 2, within which are adapted to be.positioned batteries I1, and a light socket l8 containing a bulb IS. Atransparent cover is provided for the bulb l9 and threadedly engagessuitable threads. 2 I. on the socket. IS. A metallic. contact member 22,which may take the form of either a button or a peripheral ring. aboutthe socket is in electrical association with the socket, and is adaptedto be engaged by a metallic contact member 23, to close the circuit toilluminate the bulb [9 in a manner to be more fully describedhereinafter. Contact member 22 is insulated as at 22. from the casing orhousing IS.

The member 23 which is channel-shaped in cross section, as best shown inFigure 9 is adapted to engage at one end in a ferrule 24, the oppositeend of which is secured to an extending bracket 25. The. opposite end ofthe. bracket 25 is inwardly bent as at. 29 and is secured as bysoldering or the like toga, point on casing I Badjacent a'cap member 3|adapted to close the end of the casing l6, and having positionedtherewithin a compression spring 32. A thumb screw 29' extends throughbracket 25 to permit adjustment of the positionof contactmembenfl withii lce shown; in Figure? as. viewed from the right.

new n h s 8 i' i j en e r w tions in the current of the stream or likebeing fished. The member 23 is comprised of inner and outer sections 26and 21 adapted to be secured together as by means of the channel shapedclips 28.

Secured to the outer end of the cap 3| is a ferrule 34, adapted to havepositioned therein a rod 35, which may have a sharpened extremityadapted to be inserted in the ground as indicated in Figure 1.

Fins'or guide members 36 are provided, preferably comprised of suitableinsulating material, extending upwardly from the sides of the casing IEon opposite sides of the member 23 in order to hold the same inalignment with the contact 22. As best shown in Figures 4 and 5 theextremity of the contact member 23 carries a sock- A eted ferrule 31,which is adapted to receive a male member 31' at the extremity of a tipportion 39. In the use of the device as in Figure 1, the portion 39 isadapted to have positioned thereon the ferrule 40 of a bifurcated memberor fork 4!, the bifurcations serving to engage the fishing rod It). Aline securing clip 38 is secured at a suitable point on tip portion 39.

From the foregoing the operation of the device when utilized in th formabove discussed should now be readily apparent. The parts are positionedas shown in Figure 1, with the fork 4| embracing the pole l0, and thecontact 23 being spaced from the contact 22, suitable spacing beingprovided by the telescoping of sections 25 and 21 and adjustment of thethumb screw 29. -When a fish strikes the line, the pole I0 is drawndownwardly, which, through the fork 4| causes the contact member 23 tomove downwardly, to engage the contact 22, thus closing the circuitthrough the batteries H to illuminate the bulb IS.

The device is particularly adapted for night fishing, and thearrangement is such that a fisherman need not constantly keep his eyeson a particular pole, nor need the body of water in which the fishing isbeing done be constantly illuminated. Obviously, as soon as a fishstrikes a particular line, the light will be illuminated, eithercontinuously or intermittently in accordance with the action of thefish,and the attention of the fisherman will be'attracted thereto.

Having reference to Figure 6, the device is disclosed as adapted for usein conjunction with a hand line 45 carried by a reel 45, In thisarrangement the device I5 is adapted to be positioried vertically in theground,'o'r the like, as by means of any suitable projection engaged bythe ferrule 34, and the hand line is passed through the clip 38 andextended outwardly into the body of water, the arrangement being suchthat the arm 23 is away from the contact '22 in a direction opposed tothe positioning of the line. Ob- "viously'fwhen'a fish strikes, thecontact ismoved in the direction of pull by the fish, and engages thecontact 22 closing the circuit and illuminating the light, In Figure 7,the position of such movement is indicated by dotted lines. Referringback to Figure 6, an audible attachment may be supplied, in order tofurther attract the attentionof thefisherman, and may take the form of aprojecting trod 41 provided with a ferrule 48 adapted to be engaged overthe tip portion 39, and having a coil 49 therein to provideadded re-"siliency, a bell 50 being secured to th top of the device and adaptedto bevibrated by the action of the fish in tugging on thelipefli gReferring particularly to Figure 8; there isdisclosed an attachment formounting the device on the gunwale of a boat or a dock or similar woodensurface, such means taking the form of a tubular member 5| adapted tofit over the ferrule 34, and provided with extending finger-gripportions 52. The member 5| is provided at its base with an aperture, ofirregular configuration, preferably in the form of a polygon orrectangle, adapted to engage with a correspondingl formed head 54 of awood screw 53, the arrangement being such that the screw 53 is free todrop out of the open end of the sleeve 5|, when the same is removed fromth ferrule 34. In this construction, obviously, the wood screw 53 may becaused to engage any suitable wooden surface, and the ferrule 34 issubsequently inserted in sleeve 5| for holding the device in the desiredposition in the gunwale of a boat or the like.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved fishing signal, accomplishing all of the objects of thisinvention, and others including many advantages of great practicalutility and commercial impor tance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as manymodifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely a illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A device of the character described adapted t be used with a'fish-line,including a tubular casing having a supporting ferrule on its inner end,supporting and aflixing means detachably received in said ferrule,electric batteries in said casing, a socket in the outer end of saidcasing having a fixed switch contact formed thereon, a lamp bulb in saidsocket,- a transparent cover lens therefor, spaced insulated guides onsaid casing, a movable sectional metal contact ar supported by saidcasing having contact with said electric'batt'e'ries extending in spacedrelation with said casing between said guides and forwardly of saidcasing terminating in a fishing rod supporting crotch'at its outer end,fish line supporting means on the outer-end of said movable metalcontact arm,'ar"1d a fish line supported by said last mentioned meanswhereby agbite on said fish line will cause said movable metalcontactarm to contact'said fixed switch contact to-close the-circuit betweensaid electric batteries and said bulb for illuminating the same tosignal-that there has been a "bite on theflshline. I

-- JOSEPH MASSINO."

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file'ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1. I Name Date 935,877 .Woesley et a1 Oct.5, 1909 989,145 Hatchett Apr. 11,-1911 1,082,475 Orswell Dec: 23,--19131,337,292 'Iimmons Apr. 20, 1920 1,577,612 U Dees Mar. 23, 19261,752,39.7 See I Apr. 1, 1930 [2,195,692 Bushey. Apr. 2, 19% '2;200,995Procter May 14,-1940 2,354,279.. Ross July 25, 194

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date ;}39332 .Great Britain Dec. ,12,1935 "--=609;633 Germany ;'Feb. I9. 1935

